I've Stopped Drinking!

[Corey123]

Since I was in the hospital twice for SOB (shortness of breath), due to CHF, the docs and the cardiologist had suggested that I stop drinking alcohol of any kind. Not that I was an alcoholic because I wasn't one.

Well, it's been well over a month, and I have not consumed one drop of liquor or beer!! Mainly because of all the medicine I'm on.

They said that in order for it to work properly so that no relapses occur, all alcohol must be eliminated from the system.

So if and when I go out at night to eat and or drink, I drink nonalcoholic beer and Shirley Temples. Or soda or water.

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Congrats. I quit drinking almost 30 years back, though it was because every time I drank any kind of alcohol, I got woozy feeling, and I hate the flavor (yes alcohol dow have a flavor). I have never missed it. Your reason for quitting is much more urgent. The substitution idea is great. Keep up the good work.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[Dove]

Corey,
I'm so proud of you ! Keep up the good work.
Marge

[Michelemarie]

Great job! Keep it up!

[JoAnn L.]

So glad to hear that you are feeling better.

[Claire]

Bravo! Wish I had it in me, it is definitely my weak spot.

[Corey123]

Thank you all for your support!

[buckytom]

man, i'm sorry corey, that sucks. (i'm serious everyone, stop sneering)

we all don't get old unless you try. wisdom is an entirely seperate issue. unfortunately, both often require sacrifice. or should it be said that both require sacrifice often?

have you tried exercise so that your body will be able to rebound on it's own, without too much medicine?
you may not have to give booze up entirely if you get the behind moving.

[Snoop Puss]

Corey123, I'd take my hat off to you if I were wearing one. Next time I put one on, I'll think of you.
Congrats.

[Corey123]

Originally Posted by buckytom

man, i'm sorry corey, that sucks. (i'm serious everyone, stop sneering)

we all don't get old unless you try. wisdom is an entirely seperate issue. unfortunately, both often require sacrifice. or should it be said that both require sacrifice often?

have you tried exercise so that your body will be able to rebound on it's own, without too much medicine?
you may not have to give booze up entirely if you get the behind moving.

Thanks, Snoop!

Bucky, yes, I AM execising, but only so much can be done to avoid getting grossly tired and short of breath.

I've been walking, but can only do THAT with limitations. And I can't walk too fast either, or i'll start to feel a tightness in my chest.

As you know, when you inhale, youir chest expands to its maximum capacity. And when you exhale, the chest recedes back to it normal size. if the incoming air is resricted by the lungs not being able to get it, then only so much goes in, and if I can't get the maximum oxygen, that's when I become short of breath.

Walking is all that I can do for now. I'd love to jog, but that'll have to wait until I'm able to do it. The medicine that I'm on is needed to stay healthy and out of danger. No getting around it.

Hopefully, as more weight is lost, some of the medicine can be stopped. And hopefully, the diabetes will go away. I'm eating healtier as well. But the heart will probably never heal itself, so they say, once you've had CHF. Supposedly, there is no known cure for it.

But it can be be treated and controlled to keep people healthy and strong. I DID however, notice my strength coming back a few days after being discharged from the hospital.

But the bottom line is that I'll probably never be able to move too fast, or I'd end up overtaxing myself, becoming way troo tired and short of breath. That puts undue strain on the heart and it can be sent back into palpitations, which brings fluid back into the lungs, hence SOB (shortness of breath). Because part of the heart has been damaged, it needs time to heel if it is ever going to do that.

There is however, an implantable defibrilator that can help keep the heart in tune. It sends small electrical shocks to the heart to help it stay within its normal beat. I'll ask the cardiologist about it again today and see what she says. She is hoping that the amioderone will do it first, but we'll see what happens.

[ttbeachbum]

Take each day alittle at a time. Congrats!

[Snoop Puss]

Corey123, don't give up hope on never being able to move too fast. Heart repair research seems to be moving on apace:

BBC NEWS | Health | Heart 'can carry out own repairs'

[Corey123]

Thanks!

The cardiologist today, said that an implantable defibrilator would only be suggested if all else doesn't seem to work, as I figured that she would say that.

She did suggest that I come back for a stress test. It would be WALKING ONLY - NO RUNNING. I'm also now in possesion of some nytroglicerine, to be used only if there seems to be a tightness or pain in the chest.

If I fail the stress test, then I might have to have that proceedure that VP
Dick Cheney had done where a cleaning tube is put through the one of arteries to help get rid of any cholesterol there.

[Corey123]

I will. I also hope that it's a success.

[Corey123]

Thanks for the link, Snoop!!

It shows that there is some renewed hope for the millions of people who are suffering from heart disease - myself included.

[Snoop Puss]

Glad you found it useful, Corey123. The only thing to do now is keep in the best shape you possibly can so that when new techniques are developed, you're in the best possible position to benefit from them.

I'm nearing 50 and about to embark on a new stage in my life that I hope will sort out some of my health issues. I won't be giving up drinking, but I imagine I'll be drinking a lot less, and I'll certainly be getting a lot more exercise. These are things I should have started years back, but people like you who have to deal with major challenges are an inspiration. So thanks for posting your original message.

[Corey123]

You're welcome!

Not trying to scare you, but a couple of old friends once told me that when you reach your 50's that's when things start to take a tumble.

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks for the advice, Corey123. Truth to tell, I think my 'things' began to tumble a while back.

[Corey123]

You're welcome again!

I thought being diagnosed with diabetes was scary. That's much easier to deal with than being diagnosed with CHF!!

To me, that is REAL SCARY! Hard to tell which way is up. But I think that all the diseases that i'm told i got, ties into just one thing - high blood pressure and obesity.

I'm not that obese though. Obesity DOES run in my family though. My weight had sprouted up to almost 280lbs. I've lost just over 40lbs so far, and need to try to take off more. It's the only way that some of the things that I was diagnosed with would stand a better chance of going away.

[Dina]

Good for you Corey. I've stopped griping!